Pumpkin Queen

[Katinka]

The Glorious Grand Dame of the Pumpkin Patch! Regal Egyptian Amber, red ginger, orange peel, mandarin, cardamom, fig leaf and warm pumpkin.

The kind and generous ayelienne included some PQ in a swap, and it is absolutely glorious! It lasts for ages and ages on my skin, too. Oddly enough, I don't get a bit of orange (I love the oranginess of Thaleia, so I was *hoping* for citrus), but I find a yummy mix of amber and spices instead. Imagine a concoction of Jack, Chimera, and Sudga Segara...

Fantastic!

[supremegoddessofall]

I am in love. This is spicy pumpkin joy. Touch of fruit from the fig, some sweetness from the amber and cardamon....I am in love. Mama want more, and I'm definitely glad I have a big bottle coming - I may need to buy more!

[vividdreamer]

In the bottle, I smell mostly oranges, with a hint of spice. Very tangy, almost too sharp for me. Am I going to regret buying two bottles of this?

 

Applied to skin: While wet, the orange is still prominent, but other fruit notes start mingling with it. I smell apples and pumpkin, though orange is definitely the frontrunner. After a few minutes, though, this starts morphing, and goes through several stages. There's a point when it smells very buttery and similar to Jack (which I quite like, though mostly use to layer with other scents), and then I start getting mulled apple cider (lots of spices) from it. The orange keeps popping up here and there, which makes the scent a bit odd for me, because I generally dislike citrus.

 

Finally, after a while, Her Royal Highness settles down on my skin and the layers of scent start to really work together. There's a creaminess underneath the prominent fruit and spices of this blend that I really wish I could smell more of, and I'm hoping that a little aging will take care of that.

 

All in all, PQ is another keeper from the wonderful Samhain update. I can see why this one is so popular: it's foody without being overly so, and I think that it would make a great room scent as well as perfume. I can easily see this one working all the way through Christmas, and I have a feeling that it's just going to get better and better as it ages.

[angharad]

I was terrified of the red ginger in this, but how could I resist Egypstian amber, cardamon, and pumpkin? I kept swearing that I smelled apples in here -- is that the fig? The bright appley note mingles beautifully with the mandarin and just a hint of pumpkin. For once, ginger doesn't overpower everything! I can barely even smell it -- in fact, on me, there's barely any spice at all. The amber gives this scent a silky smooth feel and dusts gold the red color that springs to mind whenever I sniff it. I'm not sure if I really need a full bottle of this, but I'm definitely keeping my imp.

[Koumori]

Curses and more curses! I was really hoping this would be the scent that could replace dear old Shub for me, but I think Shub may have been a fluke. Most of the ginger-type scents I've tried from BPAL morph into soap on me; that's the only one so far that has kept its pure spicy hotness. Pumpkin Queen, unfortunately, is overwhelmed by the ginger and then soapiness, as previous ginger scents I've tried have been. I also haven't had much luck with the BPAL pumpkin scents, as every one I've tried has smelled much too synthetic and Yankee Candle-ish to me. You'd think I'd learn... I had such high hopes for this with the amber and citrus, and it smelled SO wonderful in the bottle, but those notes don't last long before my body chemistry takes over and does what it does to all such scents. I should learn my lesson, but I keep hoping!

Edited December 24, 2006 by Koumori

[bristlecone]

This reminds me so much of a certain etailer scent I tried a few years back that it almost scares me. The only note they have in common, as far as I know, is the pumpkin. But the resemblance is uncanny.

 

Aside from that, this is sweeter, creamier, and fresher than I expected. I anticipated loads of spice and didn't get it... but that's okay, because I'm not sure I wanted loads of spice in the first place. I don't think it "belongs" anywhere other than autumn (I don't see myself dabbing this on in the middle of spring, for example), but since I only have an imp, I don't have to worry about using up a whole bottle anyway. I'm really glad I got to try this!

[Emma2403]

In the bottle: warm butter and orange. It brings me lovely memories of my mum cooking for Christmas and St-Nicolas.

 

On my skin: butter and pumpkin with some orange. Like an orange Jack, I'd say. And guess what? It doesn't burn! I suspect it's the citrus that keeps it from burning... (smelling like burnt plastic, I mean).

 

After a couple of hours: the butter dries down and I have cardamom and some other spices (cinnamon?) now!

 

Verdict: NEED. 10. BOTTLES. AT LEAST. (It was totally worth the waiting and keeping all our orders in hostage!).

[em_h]

Orange with warm spices, and hints of caramel and baked goods. As it dries, the orange fades a bit, leaving a nice autumn spicey-cake scent. I don't seem to get much of the pumpkin note, but it's a lovely soft blend. Quite light, not terribly long-lasting.

[PurringPulsar]

Pumpkin Queen

 

In the imp: oh no…this is Jack's sister. Very buttery pumpkin. I really hope this doesn't go the way Jack did on me.

Wet on skin: good, the butter note has faded, and now the spices come out!

Dry on skin: gorgeous! This is beautiful now…I smell an almost fruity pumpkin note with delicious notes of cardamom and ginger, and hints of orange! This is so good! The red ginger in here doesn't seem to be the one that turns to rubber on me, in fact, I can see where the comparisons with Shub come from. the orange is very nice and the cardamom is as fantastic as ever. And I must make another comparison…the Queen smells somewhat similar-or rather, complementary-to the King. Only the King is more cinnamon-spicy and much drier and less rich and more bakery-like, but there's a similar spicy theme here. They definitely make a good couple, that's for sure. I can't wait for the amber to appear.

After a while: still as good as ever! The orange is gone now, but the spices still linger. I can't really smell the deep green of fig leaf, so apparent in blends like Eden and Uruk, but I can barely detect it. It gives the effect of pumpkin leaves, but the scent is still sweet, fruity, spicy pumpkin, with a hint of something smoky or cooked to it now.

Eventually the spices become more muted, smoother, and there's a smokiness to it. The only way I can describe this is as a spicy-fruity cloud. A warm ambient scent which is very pretty. Underneath this ambient 'orange mist' is a tantalising hint of Egyptian Amber.

At the end, the scent lingering is a muted, warm, fruity pumpkin. Some of BPAL's pumpkin notes can smell a little fake on me but not this. I don't smell amber as much, more like a bare hint of it-it seems to have bonded with the pumpkin note.

Verdict: ok, she may be a diva with a reputation for being fashionably late and holding up everything and everyone in the process, but boy, she smells damn good. This is my favourite of the pumpkin scents. Well, I love the King but he ain't that easy to come by. I've noticed that a lot of pumpkin scents (ie, the Patch) tend to smell fake on me these days, but not the Queen-her pumpkin note is delicious. I was worried, from the buttery intro, that she'd smell like a Jack clone but that wasn't the case. On the skin, the spices explode into life and add their sparkling, comforting warmth to the pumpkin fragrance, whis. The amber note, whilst not as strong as I hoped, really brings it all together and seems to enhance the pumpkin scent, adding a gorgeous golden accent to it. I love the way this puts a whole new spin on the 'spiced pumpkin' scents, it's different from the usual, thanks to the exotic spices and the amber, it's foody but not your average foody scent. This is perfect for Halloween of course but it also seems to be apt for Christmas, probably because of the orange-spice. Love it and will get more!

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? Yes! One to hoard!

If you like this, try: Jack, any Pumpkin Patch oil (especially #1), Samhain (any)

[Lucretia]

I've been waiting for a week to review this one because it is such a morpher. Even day to day it varies on me.

sometimes I get pumpkin pie ice cream. Buttery, spicey, sweet, pumpkin with what reminds me of vanilla graham crackers. Yummy.

Other days, she is really is a queen and I get something spot on for Marquise de Merteuil except with pumpkin and minus the vetiver.

I like her, but I also find her a little bit cloying. I like pumpkin queen when I intentially smell my wrist, but when I get a whiff just randomly she sort of bugs me for some reason, especially when she is in her haunty mode.

 

I'm really torn about this one! I like it, but we'll see how long she sticks around.

[PilotKitten]

Hrm... no sour rancid gourd like Jack or the Pumpkin Patch.... I'm actually getting a nice golden orange citrus with a sweet sugary fig. The cardamom and punpkin are extremely reminiscent of a warm and spicy pumpkin pie. Wow, I'm pleasantly surprised by the Queen here. Not enough to forgive her for being a royal bitch... lol.... but *maybe* enough to snatch up a bottle before they go.

[sarahmarie]

I'll preface this review by saying that while Pumpkin Queen did not agree with me personally, I recognize it as a beautiful fragrance that would really be amazing and sexy and *perfect* on the right person. It's really many things I love in a scent - it's just that it dries down too amberiffic for me, as amber tends to give me a headache. But Pumpkin Queen is regal, spicy, sexy, and autumnal - exactly as it should be. I appreciate it very much, even though it isn't something I'll wear. Beautiful, just not for me.

[k8tey]

In imp - cloying sweet buttered spices.

 

Wet - Pumpkin pie!

 

First part of dry - OMG. yum. love. ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, orange. perfection.

 

An hour later - straight amber. Smells just like calvin klein Obsession. Not bad, just so boring compared to how it started.

 

I may try it in my hair or in a spray to see if I can capture that first dry part for longer, because that was AMAZING.

[sh1mm3r]

I got to try this at the Atlanta MnS. I didn't order any initially because usually amber amps terribly on my skin.

 

Wet, it was buttery, and pumpkiny. No amber anywhere! As it dried, it got spicy and citrusy. I adore it.

 

And no amber anywhere! I will have to hunt down a decant now.

 

ETA: I got a 1/5 imp of this from a swap and wore it today. I got more of the amber today, but it wasn't rancid. It's one of the oils that I would label "womanly," which I've been looking for for a while now. Hopefully I can find more.

Edited December 6, 2006 by sh1mm3r

[malabar]

This reminds me of Pumpkin Patch 5, the one with sandalwood and orris. I know the spices are totally different, and there is that citrus note. I like it, but not enough to spring for a whole bottle. Thanks to crescentwench on LJ, I'm not stuck with an unloved 5 mL.

[eviltemptressdq]

Wow. Ok, so I have a little grudge against our lady PQ... but her scent just about makes up for her delayed

shipment! This is a rich pumpkin, but with spicy cinnamon twist... but with something sweet, too! Sort of like a pumpkin

cookie. Delicious! To me, this has a little bit of a similarity even to my beloved Trick 2... that same spicy/sweet that makes

me want to eat it.

[magikalcrab]

Oh, this is just too good. I don't deserve PQ and Creepy in the same order!

 

I wasn't sure of this in the bottle - it seemed a little ... heavy on the pumpkin and a bit acrid (to my nose, anyway). But I gave it a whirl.

 

On skin... there are no words. I think it shall suffice to say:

 

It warmed up a lot, there's a beautiful light pumpkin scent underneath the tangy-sweet of mandarin and a touch of something a little bit ... spicey, maybe? Either way, I'm in absolute heaven. I'll be over here, dancing the dance of joy.

 

(_(_) (_)_) (_(_) (_)_)

[ND¢]

Initially I get a lot of citrus (orange peel and mandarin) though in the imp it is very rich-pumpkin smelling. The cardamom comes through really true and that, for me, is a very good thing. I'm glad this doesn't pull a Jack on me (craft store/Glade air freshener)- it is true and attractive and I shall be getting myself a bottle.

[jewelbug]

 

Bottle: Mostly a really sweet light orange with a background of smooth, buttery pumpkin (but not overwhelmingly buttery, which for me is a good thing). I was hoping to be punched in the face with red ginger, but I can’t smell it at all. I do think I smell a hint of another spice, though..cardamom?

 

Wet: Immediately on, it does get more buttery, but this is a far more subtle butter than I experienced with Jack. And this has that great orange fruitiness.

 

Early Dry: This is much gentler than I expected. I don’t get spice at all, and I really can’t pick out the amber. Its like a very smooth, light buttery pumpkin with citrus. Its really pretty, but I confess that I wanted spice and figleaf and amber more than citrus and pumpkin (silly of me with a name like pumpkin queen, huh?). I love this scent, and I will keep this bottle, but I will have to think over whether I want the second or not. This has a weird phase about 20 mins in where it smells different depending on where it is on my body: on my elbow, this is pure orange and fruitloops. On the back of my hand, warm buttered pumpkin, slightly fruity and wonderfully warm and smooth. On my wrist, a little syntheticy, as butter sometimes goes. The differences are astounding. Very weird.

Late dry (2.5 hrs): OOOH! This has really morphed over time, slowly with me barely noticing (busy day at work!)…So, now I can definitely smell the amber, rounded out and made warmer by hints of buttery pumpkin and juicy fruits, more mandarin than other oranges, cuz it’s sweeter and juicier than normal. There is a little spice to this, but its of the cardamom variety instead of ginger. Its phenomenal. Delish, but not overly foody. And that synthetic-ness from earlier went away completely.

 

Over future hours, the balance keeps tipping towards amber, with everything else in the background, becoming less juicy/sweet/butter/foody as it progresses. All stages are really beautiful.

 

Lasts well over 6 hrs, by which time its super amber with a hint of all the warm autmunnyness.

 

Verdict: Well, I can definitely get rid of my jack imp, because I prefer the sweet lightness of PQ to Jack’s more in-your-face-piecrusty buttery pumpkin (which goes just a bit synthetic on me anyway). I think this will age phenomenally with the amber and spices. I might just want that second bottle afterall…

Edited November 10, 2006 by jewelbug

[Alchemy21599]

In the bottle: Oy! Buttered squash! I was actually afraid to try this on, but I smiffed some spicy goodness lurking beneath, so I decided to give it a try.

 

Wet: The buttery note is fading (mercifully) and I am getting orange, cardamom and gingerific goodness.

 

Dry: I am so happy that I tried this! It is lovely spicey orange goodness with amber for depth. It is actually not at all "foody" after about an hour. I may need to order another bottle

[Electra]

Wet, this is a lovely, warm, ever-so-slightly buttery pumpkin (I loathe buttery scents, and I can handle this amount of butter).

 

Unfortunately the drydown is 100% orange Kool-Aid.

[LiberAmoris]

If I had to pick just one BPAL autumnal blend for which I would forsake all others, I have to say, I think I might pick Pumpkin Queen. This is just awesome. It's like Jack perfected. The Egyptian amber, the orange peel, the fig leaf, the pumpkin---just wonderful, wonderful stuff. The ginger or cardamom makes my skin a bit irritated when I wear it on my neck, so I'll just keep it to my wrists, no problem.

 

I am head over heels for PQ. I think I might need one more bottle before the Halloweenies disappear into the night.

[metaldog32]

Pumpkin Queen

 

This was the one of the two Halloweenie scents I had to have..the other being All Souls. As soon as I saw amber, red ginger, mandarin, cardamom, and orange peel in the mix it was decided. Although I love pumpkin..I never thought it was a note I would want to wear as fragrance..but the other notes sealed it for me. I was a bit wary..as foody scents typically don't have me doing backflips..but I had to try.

 

Of course..I was one of the few who ended up waiting forever for my Halloweenie order due to the very tricky Pumpkin Queen...but she was so worth the wait.

 

Initial sniff from bottle:It smells like gingerbread.Yup. Gingerbread..with a touch of the orange peel wwwaaay in the back. With the cap off and the bottle a couple of feet away from me what wafts up to my nose lazily is the gingerbread...a touch buttery...and it's foody. Since it isn't sweet and cloying..I don't mind this...it's very appropro to autumn actually. Very much a comfort scent at this stage.

 

Applied wet on skin:Pumpkin and the splash of mandarin... orange peel and a touch of ginger oh my!!! Goodness this is gorgeous..and then this starts to warm up...it's gotta be the amber in this blend because it's all warm and cozy and just amazing. I never smelled Jack and I feel I might never have to..since this is just blowing me away.I think the cardamom is what made me think gingerbread before and cardamom doesn't disappoint me..I love it so.

 

 

Couple of minutes on skin:Okay..the mandarin has softened a bit and it's a melange of the pumpkin, cardamom, and amber....it's just the warm cloud of comfort. I get a whiff of ginger at the tail end...so I am happy.This is still retaining a bit of that buttery note I got from out of the bottle..but surprisingly this isn't making me feel wretched..it kind of gives it a touch of richness that I find actually appealing. It is a a bit of of a foody scent..but because it is so autumnal in it's feel I can't help falling in love with it.

 

I don't feel like I am wearing pumpking pie or gingerbread cookies..but I do feel like I am wearing an autumnal foody fragrance that doesn't make me feel like a baked good..

 

I wore this last night to dinner with some friends and my sister said I smelled really good...then again my sis is a huge FOODY fragrance gal..so I can see why she found this blend so appealing.

 

Drying on skin:It's the amber in the forefront..the other notes swirling softly in the back.

 

Drydown: A bit of the golden amber left..with traces of the spices.

 

Lasting power on me was good 5+ hours but throw was soft....

 

Bottom Line:Pumpkin Queen as LiberAmoris stated is probably one of the best autumnal blends. Sure..it's a bit foody but in all the right places..and I absolutely loved how I felt wearing her. I think the significant other might like it too so I have to see if this scores high snuggling points. I would snuggle myself..hahahahahahahahahaha. I love it.

[Inky]

IN THE BOTTLE: Mmmm. Spices, citrus tang, bit of amber or musk.

 

WET: The citrus goes out and a neat pomegranite comes in. The spice warms up to a clovish-scent. The amber comes in pretty well without overpowering.

 

DRY: Pumpkin Pie with an underlying muskiness.

 

THROW: Decent.

 

Oh, I am LOVING this one! I went back and forth on buying it, and decided to go for it. I am sooooo glad I did!!

[Lari]

Oh, delicious!

 

I didn't even know WHAT I was smelling in the bottle... it was delicious and foody and like baking. Wet on me the orange comes out first, but with all the other scents behind it it smells like making a grand-marnier pastry cream to go with pumpkin bread. As it dries the orange takes a back seat, and it's just this gorgeous buttery spicy fall scent. The amber keeps it from getting too foodie.

 

I'm going to wait a few days, and see what the husband thinks of it, but I may well pick up another bottle of this before it's gone. Mmmm.